History of Donald Trump Jr. in Timeline
Donald John Trump Jr., or Don Jr., is an American businessman and the eldest child of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Ivana Trump. He has been deeply involved in the Trump Organization, working alongside his siblings. He is known for his active role in Republican politics and has been a vocal supporter of his father's political career. Don Jr. has also authored books and remains a prominent figure in conservative media. He often appears at political rallies and events, maintaining a public profile.
December 31, 1977: Donald Trump Jr. Born
On December 31, 1977, Donald John Trump Jr., the eldest child of Donald Trump and Ivana Trump, was born.
2000: Graduation from Wharton School
In 2000, Donald Trump Jr. graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School with a B.S. in Economics.
2000: Move to Aspen and Return to Trump Organization
In 2000, after graduating from Penn, Donald Trump Jr. moved to Aspen, Colorado, working as a bartender, before returning to the Trump Organization in New York.
2003: Began Dating Vanessa Kay Haydon
In 2003, Donald Trump Jr. started dating model Vanessa Kay Haydon at his father's suggestion.
November 12, 2005: Marriage to Vanessa Haydon
On November 12, 2005, Donald Trump Jr. married model Vanessa Kay Haydon at his father's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. The service was officiated by Trump Jr.'s aunt, Judge Maryanne Trump Barry.
2006: Launch of Trump Mortgage and Appearance on The Apprentice
In 2006, Donald Trump Jr. helped launch Trump Mortgage and appeared on The Apprentice season 5.
May 2007: Birth of Daughter Kai Madison
In May 2007, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their first child, a daughter named Kai Madison.
2007: Donation to Hillary Clinton's Campaign
In 2007, Donald Trump Jr. gave $4,000 to then-Senator Hillary Clinton's campaign.
2008: Original Photo of Anderson Cooper Taken
In 2008, the original photo of Anderson Cooper in floodwaters was taken during Hurricane Ike. This photo was later used by Donald Trump Jr. in a tweet in September 2018 to criticize CNN's coverage of Hurricane Florence.
February 2009: Birth of Son Donald John III
In February 2009, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon had their second child, a son named Donald John Trump III.
2010: Spokesperson for Cambridge Who's Who
In 2010, Donald Trump Jr. became a spokesperson and executive director for Cambridge Who's Who.
2010: Hunting Trip
In 2010, Donald Trump Jr. participated in hunting trips where he took pictures of his hunting trophies.
October 2011: Birth of Son Tristan Milos
In October 2011, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their third child, a son named Tristan Milos.
2011: Comments on Frederica Wilson
In 2011, Donald Trump Jr. responded to criticism of the Tea Party movement by Frederica Wilson, confusing her with Maxine Waters and making comments about her hats.
October 2012: Birth of Son Spencer Frederick
In October 2012, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon had their fourth child, a son named Spencer Frederick.
2012: Hunting Trophy Pictures Published
In 2012, controversy arose when photos of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies from 2010 were published, including by Mia Farrow, leading to criticism from anti-hunting activists. At least one sponsor dropped his father's TV show "The Celebrity Apprentice".
June 2014: Birth of Daughter Chloe Sophia
In June 2014, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon welcomed their fifth child, a daughter named Chloe Sophia.
2015: Final Appearance on The Apprentice
In 2015, Donald Trump Jr. made his last appearance on his father's season of The Apprentice.
2015: Hunting Trophies Reposted
In 2015, Mia Farrow reposted photos of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies, which led to criticism from anti-hunting activists.
March 1, 2016: Interview with James Edwards Aired
On March 1, 2016, an interview with white supremacist James Edwards and Donald Trump Jr. was aired, leading to accusations of him being a believer in the white genocide conspiracy theory.
June 9, 2016: Meeting at Trump Tower
On June 9, 2016, Donald Trump Jr., along with Jared Kushner and Paul Manafort, met with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya at Trump Tower in Manhattan to receive damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
August 2016: Meeting with UAE and Saudi Arabia Emissary
In August 2016, Donald Trump Jr. had a meeting with an emissary for the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia who offered help to the Trump presidential campaign.
September 2016: Holocaust Imagery Criticism and Pepe the Frog Image
In September 2016, Donald Trump Jr. used Holocaust imagery to criticize the media's coverage of Hillary Clinton. He also shared an image on Instagram depicting a cross between his father and Pepe the Frog, later claiming he was unfamiliar with Pepe's association with white supremacy.
2016: Close Political Advisor in Father's Campaign
Ahead of the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump Jr. was a central member of his father's campaign, and spoke at the Republican National Convention.
2016: Skittles Refugee Analogy Controversy
During his father's presidential campaign in 2016, Donald Trump Jr. caused controversy when he posted an image comparing Syrian refugees to Skittles, leading to condemnation.
2016: WikiLeaks Actively Solicited Cooperation
During the 2016 campaign, WikiLeaks actively solicited the cooperation of Donald Trump Jr., urging the Trump campaign to reject the results and shared a made-up claim by True Pundit that Hillary Clinton had wanted to attack Assange with drones.
2016: Influence on Secretary of the Interior Choice
In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. influenced his father's choice of Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke during the presidential transition.
2016: Posting Pepe the Frog Meme
In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. posted a photo on Instagram featuring a Trump version of Pepe the Frog, an internet meme associated with white nationalists. Trump Jr. defended the post.
2016: Involvement in 2016 Presidential Campaign
In 2016, Donald Trump Jr. was active in his father's presidential campaign. He met with a Russian lawyer who promised damaging information about Hillary Clinton.
2016: Correspondence with WikiLeaks
In 2016, during the presidential election, Donald Trump Jr. corresponded with WikiLeaks via Twitter, as revealed later.
January 11, 2017: Overseeing Trump Organization Assets
On January 11, 2017, Donald Trump Sr. announced that Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump would oversee a trust that included the Trump Organization's assets while Donald Trump Sr. was president.
March 2017: Criticism of London Mayor Sadiq Khan
In March 2017, Donald Trump Jr. criticized London Mayor Sadiq Khan following the 2017 Westminster attack, leading to criticism from British lawmakers who accused Trump Jr. of quoting Khan out of context.
April 2017: Campaigning for Greg Gianforte
In April 2017, Donald Trump Jr. campaigned for Montana congressional candidate Greg Gianforte.
April 2017: Praise for Conspiracy Theorist Mike Cernovich
In April 2017, Donald Trump Jr. praised conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich, known for promoting debunked theories such as white genocide and Pizzagate, suggesting he would have won a Pulitzer Prize in a time of unbiased journalism.
May 2017: Promotion of Conspiracy Theory Linking Bill Clinton to Vince Foster's Death
In May 2017, Donald Trump Jr. promoted a conspiracy theory that Bill Clinton was linked to the death of Vince Foster. CNN called it the "long-debunked, far-right conspiracy theory".
July 8, 2017: Release of Email Exchange
On July 8, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted his email exchange with Rob Goldstone, revealing that he agreed to attend the Trump Tower meeting with the understanding he would receive information damaging to Hillary Clinton.
September 2017: Request to Remove Secret Service Detail
In September 2017, Donald Trump Jr. asked to have his Secret Service detail removed, citing a desire for more privacy; his protection was later restored that month.
November 7, 2017: Tweets Urging Voters to Vote on the Wrong Day
On November 7, 2017, Donald Trump Jr. posted tweets urging voters in Virginia's gubernatorial election to vote "tomorrow", which was the day after the election.
November 2017: Correspondence with WikiLeaks Revealed
In November 2017, news broke that Julian Assange had used the WikiLeaks Twitter account to correspond with Donald Trump Jr. during the 2016 presidential election.
2017: Alleged Misuse of Inaugural Funds
Donald Trump Jr. was accused of misuse of his father's inaugural funds in Washington D.C. in 2017, for "grossly overpaying" for use of event space at the Trump Hotel. This led to a criminal investigation in January 2021.
2017: Father's Description
In 2017, Donald Trump described Donald Trump Jr. as "not the sharpest knife in the drawer".
2017: Prairie Dog Hunt on Earth Day
On Earth Day in 2017, Donald Trump Jr. legally hunted prairie dogs in Montana with GOP Congressional candidate Greg Gianforte.
February 2018: Liking Tweets Promoting Conspiracy Theory About Stoneman Douglas Survivors
In February 2018, Donald Trump Jr. liked two tweets promoting a conspiracy theory suggesting that survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting were being coached to spread anti-Trump rhetoric.
February 2018: Advertisements in Indian Newspapers
In February 2018, advertisements in Indian newspapers promoted a deal to have a "conversation and dinner" with Donald Trump Jr. for those who purchased Trump Organization apartments in Gurgaon.
March 15, 2018: Separation from Vanessa Haydon
On March 15, 2018, it was announced that Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon had separated, and Haydon had filed for uncontested divorce in Manhattan Supreme Court.
May 2018: Retweet of Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory About George Soros
In May 2018, Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a false and antisemitic conspiracy theory from Roseanne Barr alleging that George Soros was a Nazi who turned in fellow Jews. This occurred on the same day Roseanne's TV show, Roseanne, was cancelled due to her racist tweets.
June 2018: Liking Tweet Suggesting Migrant Children Were Actors
In June 2018, Donald Trump Jr. liked a tweet suggesting that migrant children separated from their parents due to the Trump administration's family separation policy were actually actors.
August 2018: Sharing Doctored Image Regarding Trump's Approval Rating
In August 2018, Donald Trump Jr. shared a doctored image on Instagram falsely stating that CNN reported President Trump's approval rating as 50%. The actual report had Trump at 40%. He deleted the image two days later.
September 2018: Tweet Regarding Hurricane Florence and CNN Journalist Anderson Cooper
In September 2018, during Hurricane Florence, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted a picture of CNN journalist Anderson Cooper in floodwaters, along with a Breitbart News article claiming CNN's ratings had dropped. He suggested a conspiracy that CNN was trying to make his father look bad.
2018: Active Campaigning for Republican Candidates
During the 2018 midterm elections, Donald Trump Jr. actively campaigned for Republican candidates, raising millions of dollars and drawing large crowds to campaign events.
2018: Campaigning for Republicans
In 2018, Donald Trump Jr. campaigned for several Republican candidates during the midterm elections.
2018: Began Dating Kimberly Guilfoyle
In 2018, Donald Trump Jr. started dating Kimberly Guilfoyle, who had been friends with the Trump family for years.
February 22, 2019: Divorce Settlement Announced
On February 22, 2019, Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Haydon announced that they had settled their divorce at the end of 2018.
June 2019: Criminal Referral to Federal Prosecutors
In June 2019, Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee made a criminal referral of Donald Trump Jr. to federal prosecutors on suspicions that he misled the committee with his testimony.
July 2019: Appearance at Far-Right Event
In July 2019, Donald Trump Jr. appeared at a far-right "We Build the Wall" event with Jack Posobiec. This was reported by the Southern Poverty Law Center in August 2020.
November 2019: Tweeting Alleged Whistleblower Name
In November 2019, Donald Trump Jr. tweeted the name of the alleged whistleblower in the Trump-Ukraine scandal, potentially violating whistleblower protection conventions.
December 11, 2019: Hunting Permit Controversy Revealed
On December 11, 2019, ProPublica revealed that the government of Mongolia retroactively granted Donald Trump Jr. a hunting permit for the endangered Argali mountain sheep. The sheep hunt and travel to Ulaanbaatar for a private meeting with Mongolian president Khaltmaagiin Battulga cost U.S. taxpayers $76,859.36 for United States Secret Service protection.
2019: Authored Triggered
In 2019, Donald Trump Jr. authored the book Triggered.
2019: Release of "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us"
In 2019, Donald Trump Jr. released the book "Triggered: How the Left Thrives on Hate and Wants to Silence Us", which criticizes political correctness and argues that the American left has a victimhood complex.
2019: Description by Father
In 2019, Donald Trump described Donald Trump Jr. as "not the sharpest knife in the drawer".
2019: Hunting Trophies Reposted Again
In 2019, Mia Farrow again reposted photos of Donald Trump Jr.'s hunting trophies, continuing the controversy.
February 2020: Hunting Trip in Alaska
In February 2020, Donald Trump Jr. agreed to go on a hunting trip in Alaska with the winner of a fundraising auction for the Safari Club International.
May 2020: False Accusation Against Joe Biden
In May 2020, Donald Trump Jr. falsely accused Joe Biden of being a pedophile.
June 2020: Accusation of Liberal Hypocrisy During COVID-19 Pandemic
In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Donald Trump Jr. accused liberals of hypocrisy for imposing restrictive measures on businesses while supporting the "Action for Black Trans Lives" protest.
July 2020: Twitter Restriction for COVID-19 Misinformation
In July 2020, Donald Trump Jr. received a 12-hour restriction from Twitter for promoting COVID-19 misinformation, specifically retweeting a video promoting hydroxychloroquine as a cure.
August 2020: Sharing Article About Dead People Voting in Michigan
In August 2020, Donald Trump Jr. shared a Breitbart News article about dead people voting in Michigan, suggesting voter fraud. The voters had died after submitting ballots, which were rejected by authorities.
August 2020: Reported Appearance at Far-Right Event
In August 2020, the Southern Poverty Law Center reported that Donald Trump Jr. had appeared at a far-right "We Build the Wall" event with Jack Posobiec in July 2019.
September 2020: Pushing False Claims About Voter Fraud
In September 2020, Donald Trump Jr. pushed false claims about voter fraud, asserting the left was planning to steal the election and calling for an election security "army".
October 2020: Speculation for 2024 Presidential Run
Before the 2020 election, Donald Trump Jr. was the subject of speculation for a 2024 run for president. In October 2020, he posted a photo of a "Don Jr. 2024" flag.
October 2020: Pennsylvania Senate Seat Speculation and Rally
In October 2020, there was speculation about Donald Trump Jr. running for a vacant Senate seat in Pennsylvania. He also held a crowded indoor rally where attendees did not wear masks.
October 28, 2020: RNC Purchased Book in Bulk
On October 28, 2020, the Republican National Committee (RNC) spent over $300,000 of donor money to purchase Donald Trump Jr.'s book, "Liberal Privilege", from Pursuit Venture LLC, a company owned by Trump Jr., for "donor mementos". The intent was to give a copy to people who donated $50–$100.
October 29, 2020: Comments on COVID-19 Deaths on Fox News
On October 29, 2020, Donald Trump Jr. minimized COVID-19 deaths on Fox News, stating the number was "almost nothing" despite the U.S. registering roughly 1,000 deaths that day.
November 2020: Suggestion of Vaccine Delay to Hurt Father's Election Chances
In November 2020, after Pfizer announced a COVID-19 vaccine, Donald Trump Jr. suggested it had been held back to hurt his father's election chances. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla denied the claim.
November 2020: Advocating 'Total War' Instead of Vote Counting
Since November 2020, Donald Trump Jr. played a prominent role in his father's attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election. In November 2020, he advocated "total war" instead of completing the vote count.
2020: Active in 2020 Presidential Campaign
During the 2020 presidential campaign, Donald Trump Jr. was very active, making unfounded claims. He called for "total war" as results were counted and promoted stolen election conspiracy theories.
2020: Authored Liberal Privilege
In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. authored the book Liberal Privilege.
2020: Self-Published 'Liberal Privilege'
In 2020, Donald Trump Jr. self-published the book "Liberal Privilege: Joe Biden and the Democrats' Defense of the Indefensible". He hired researchers to gather information about Joe Biden and spent three months writing the book. He stated he was motivated by being "stuck indoors" during the pandemic and wanting to highlight Biden's record, since he felt the media would not.
December 31, 2020: Reportedly Became Engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle
On December 31, 2020, Donald Trump Jr. reportedly became engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle on his 43rd birthday.
January 6, 2021: Speech at Rally Before Capitol Attack
On January 6, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. spoke at a rally before the US Capitol attack, saying to GOP lawmakers, "If you're gonna be the zero and not the hero, we're coming for you".
January 8, 2021: Claim About Free Speech After Father's Twitter Ban
Following his father's permanent ban from Twitter on January 8, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. claimed that free speech "no longer exists in America".
January 11, 2021: Considered Person of Interest in Capitol Attack Investigation
On January 11, 2021, D.C. attorney general Karl Racine said that Donald Trump Jr. is a person of interest in the criminal investigation of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
January 14, 2021: Person of Interest in Inaugural Funds Misuse Investigation
On January 14, 2021, Donald Trump Jr. became a person of interest in the criminal investigation into misuse of his father's inaugural funds in Washington D.C.
January 2021: Plans to Subvert the Electoral College
In April 2022 it was reported that in January 2021, Donald Trump Jr. sent Mark Meadows a text laying out plans to subvert the electoral college.
January 2021: Potential Incitement Investigation
In January 2021, the Attorney General for the District of Columbia considered charging Donald Trump Jr. with inciting the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol.
March 5, 2021: Civil Lawsuit Filed by Eric Swalwell
On March 5, 2021, Representative Eric Swalwell filed a civil lawsuit against Donald Trump Jr., his father, Representative Mo Brooks, and Rudy Giuliani, seeking damages for their alleged role in inciting the January 6 riot.
December 2021: Switched Residency to Florida
In December 2021, Donald Trump Jr. switched his official residency from New York to Florida.
December 2021: Text Messages Begging to Stop the Attack
In December 2021, text messages released by Meadows revealed that Donald Trump Jr. begged Meadows to persuade his father to stop the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
January 2022: Engagement News Made Public
In January 2022, news of Donald Trump Jr.'s engagement to Kimberly Guilfoyle, which reportedly happened in December 2020, was made public.
February 2022: Amplifying Russian Propaganda About Biological Weapons in Ukraine
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Donald Trump Jr. amplified baseless Russian state propaganda claiming the US and Ukraine were developing biological weapons.
April 2022: Text Message Outlining Paths to Subvert Electoral College
CNN reported in April 2022 that, two days after the election, Donald Trump Jr. sent a text message to Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process and ensure his father a second term.
April 2022: Text Message Subverting Electoral College
In April 2022, it was reported that two days after the 2020 election, Donald Trump Jr. sent a text message to Mark Meadows outlining paths to subvert the Electoral College process.
2022: $750,000 Settlement Reached
In May of 2022, D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine reached a $750,000 settlement with the inaugural committee without requiring an admission of wrongdoing.
2022: Pennsylvania Senate Seat Speculation
In October 2020, Pennsylvania Republicans suggested that Donald Trump Jr. run for the vacant Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2022.
2023: Launch of Triggered with Don Jr Podcast
In 2023, Donald Trump Jr. launched a podcast, Triggered with Don Jr, on the platform Rumble.
February 16, 2024: Barred from Serving as Officer or Director
On February 16, 2024, a ruling barred Donald Trump Jr. from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation or other legal entity in New York, including the Trump Organization, for two years.
May 28, 2024: Email Shown in Trump Sr.'s Trial
On May 28, 2024, an email was shown during defense closing arguments in Trump Sr.'s New York criminal trial revealing that Jeffrey McConnery sought approval from Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump for reimbursement payments to Michael Cohen. Donald Trump Jr. signed some of the reimbursement checks to Cohen.
November 2024: Joining 1789 Capital
In November 2024, Donald Trump Jr. announced that he would be joining 1789 Capital as a partner.
December 2024: Joining PublicSquare Board of Directors
In December 2024, it was announced that Donald Trump Jr. was joining the board of directors of PublicSquare.
2024: Speculation for 2024 Presidential Run
Before his father's loss in the 2020 election, Donald Trump Jr. was the subject of speculation for a 2024 run for president.
2024: Engagement to Guilfoyle Ended
In 2024, Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle mutually ended their engagement.
2024: Kai Trump spoke at the Republican National Convention
In 2024, Kai Trump was introduced by her father and spoke at the Republican National Convention on July 17.
2024: Introduction of JD Vance at Republican National Convention
In 2024, at the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump Jr. led the introductions of JD Vance, who had been selected as Donald Trump's running mate.
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